Oh dear.

[rivka]

We live a few doors down from a kink shop.

It's actually a nice, tasteful, well-stocked shop with friendly and helpful staff, and they're fine neighbors. The only problem is that the shop is at basement level. Which means that their display window starts at ground level, i.e., toddler/preschooler eye level.

They used to regularly have window displays of stuffed animals in bondage gear. It's been a while since I've noticed something like that, so either they've moved away from that design technique or, now that Alex isn't a toddler anymore, I'm not spending quite so much time inching along the sidewalk looking at every conceivable thing there is to see.

But they do still display wares in their window. Alex has asked about it, and I've told her, in my best off-hand voice, that the store sells things for grownups who like to play dress-up. That's satisfied her.

This weekend she got a bag of dress-up clothes for $2 at a yard sale. It's been an exciting new treat; we didn't previously have dress-up clothes at home.

You see where this is going, right?

This morning I explained that this will be her first day of coming home from school at lunchtime to stay with Colin and our new nanny. I encouraged her to be friendly and helpful to the nanny "because she's new at our house."

"Okay!" Alex said cheerfully. "And if she wants to play dress-up with me, she can go to the store that has things for grown-ups who like to play dress-up."

...

...I was so pleased with myself for giving her that explanation, too.

Comments

[eeyorerin]

...oh dear.

I can't help but laugh, though.

[ratphooey.livejournal.com]

When my mother was a little girl, her aunt once told her that the maxipads in her cupboard were "napkins for special occasions."

You can imagine what happened when she asked mom to set the table.

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

Oh dear!

Maybe it'll be a nice little warm-up exercise for the new nanny?

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Who knows? There's the possibility that the nanny IS one of those grownups who like to play dress-up.

Far as I'm concerned, that's a perfectly good explanation.

Do you think it's possible to explain that some grownups who like to play dress-up are a little embarrassed about liking to play dress-up, so it's a little bit impolite to bring it up, because it might be embarrassing to them?

I don't know if "embarrassing" is a concept that exists at Alex's age.

[bosssio.livejournal.com]

I shared this with Daria and Andy. SO funny.

btw, we need to know your beverage preferences.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

we need to know your beverage preferences.

I like red wine and craft beers (my father the pediatrician scoffs at the idea that nursing mothers should not drink alcohol! yay Dad!) and grapefruit or lime or lemon Italian soda and I drink quarts and quarts of water. I don't drink regular soda or coffee. Really, as long as there is ice-cold water I am happy.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

My pediatrician told me dark beers (stouts, particularly) were good for milk production. :)

[antonia-tiger.livejournal.com]

Since the explanation does sort of fit with the window displays I've walked past, maybe the thing to do is warn the Nanny of how you explained it.

(Here in the UK, our polticians have Passed Laws. Stuffed toys in bondage would have unfortunate effects.)

[crazysoph.livejournal.com]

There's Dutch comics artist by the name of Joost Zwart, who did something quite like the above scene... the set up is the little boy and his daddy are going out to find a birthday gift for mommy.

They live in the center of Amsterdam. Daddy's sense of judgement is, shall we say, less than finely attuned, and for his own amusement he decides to walk down the street with all the window prostitutes. So far, such a nice walk, but the little boy pipes up with an idea for the whole street to hear: "Look, daddy! Let's take that one home for Mommy's birthday!" The little boy's focus was the lingerie worn by the woman in the window, but no one listening would have known that.

Somehow, though, I don't think you'll scare away your nanny.

Crazy(well, I'm hoping, but still...)Soph

ETA - small but importanat detail dropped when the dinner bell rang. *sigh*

[marydell.livejournal.com]

This is priceless.

I agree that telling the nanny about the explanation will probably work out fine.

[tea-dragon.livejournal.com]

I'm no help, but that is hilarious!

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

My kids are all in their 20s, and some of those explanations are *still* biting me in the ass! :)

[ex-serenejo.livejournal.com]

James, through heavy laughter: "You see, the thing is, it's difficult to imagine that Rivka's nanny would not think that's the cutest, most adorable thing in the whole world, and really? If the nanny passes out with the vapors? New nanny time."

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Just what I was thinking.

[ailbhe]

I am having trouble breathing for laughing. It is *genius*. But it might be a good idea to warn the nanny, because otherwise she might agree to have Alex show her where the Dress-Up Shop is, and that could get complicated fast.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

Hee.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Oh _dear_.

Out of the mouths of babes...